Liquefied gas dispensing system



Oct. 8, 1940.

1,. .1. WHITE LIQUEFIED GAS DISPENSING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 1, 195a Patented Oct. 8,1940

PATENT OFFICE 2,216,866 HQUEFIED GAS DISPENSING SYSTEM Loyd J. White,

Southern Steel (70., poration of Texas San Antonio, Tex., asslgnor to. 6

San Antonio, Tex, a cor- Application December 1, 1938, Serial nefzralss 4 Claims.

This invention relates to liquefied gas dispensing systems of the type used for generating and dispensing so called butane gas and, among other objects, aims to provide a relatively small above- 5 ground installation especially adapted to be installed in rural homes, summer cottages and elsewhere, to make it possible to use gas refrigerating and/or other appliances where the demand is not sufficiently great to justify a more ex- 10 pensive underground system. The main idea is to provide a relatively cheap and greatly simplifled system which can be installed and operated at a low cost and which has provision for insuring vaporization of the liquefied gas during is relatively cold weather by using an improved heat exchanger employing water as the heating medium.

Other aims and advantages of the invention will appear in the specification, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a system embodying the invention, a portion of a protecting casing being removed;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the protecting casing with the system installed therein; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Referring particularly to the drawing, there is shown a simplified system embodying two tanks or bottles l and H of liquefied gas. Such containers are used in the bottled gas industry and are adapted to be removed and replaced after they areempty. They are generally used in pairs so that when one of the bottles is empty the valve mechanism employed may be switched over to the full tank and the empty one subsequently replaced by a full one to insure continuous service. v

In this instance, the two tanks or bottles are placed within an insulated protecting casing l2 shown as being a rectangular box having a base l3 partially buried in the ground and its back wall secured or contiguous to an outside wall ll of a building. The casing is shown as having a removable box-shaped front panel or cover portion l5 which, when, removed, exposes both of the bottles to the atmosphere so that they may absorb heat from the air during warm weather and also permitting the bottles to be removed and replaced.

In this example, the two bottles are mounted in an upright position within the casing and are spaced apart. Between them, there is shown a 55 vertical heat exchanger It having concave or arcuate opposed walls conforming to the contour of the bottles and this heat exchanger is connected at its bottom through the base l3 to underground water circulating pipes l1 and It, the =inlet pipe I1 being shown as extending to the 5 upper portion of the container to admit water to the top and the cold water is discharged through the pipe l8. Water may be continuously circulated through the heat exchanger or the pipes may be connected to a household supply pipe. The bottles are shown as being held in close contact with the heat exchanger by a pair of adjustable and removable straps l9 secured to the heat exchanger.

The tanks are shown as having the usual protectingcollars on their upper ends to protect their dispensing valves (not shown), and dispensing tubes are connected to the valves in the well known manner. These dispensing tubes are connected to a throw-over valve assembly 2| of a well known type, there being two valves 22 and 23 connected to the pipes 20 in such manner that when one valve is opened, the other is closed. A single pressure gauge 24 on the valve assembly indicates the pressure in either con- 25 nected tank. The dispensed gas passes through the throw-over valve assembly and a single pressure regulator 25, thence through an outlet 26 connected by a union coupling 21 to a service pipe 28 passing through the rear wall of the so casing.

' From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the improved system is exceedingly simple in its construction and easy to install at a minimum cost. It is eminently adapted for use wherever the gas demand is not suificiently great to justify a more expensive system.

Obviously, the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment thereof herein shown and described.

What is claimed is:

l. A liquefied gas dispensing system of the character described comprising, in combination, an insulated casing;- an upstanding heat ex-v changer within the casing; means for supplying 5 a heating medium to said heat exchanger; liquefled gas bottles also-arranged within the casing in contact with the heat exchanger; and a removable cover section constituting a part of the casing arranged when removed to expose the 50 bottles to the air during warm weather and to permit removal and replacement of the bottles.

2. A liquefied gas dispensing system of the character described comprising, in combination, an insulated casing; a single heat exchanger within the casing; also arranged within character described comprising, in combination,

an insulated casing above the ground having a baserestmg on the ground; a pair of spaced upright liquefied gas bottles mounted in the casan upright heat exchanger in the casing heat exchanging contact with said heat exchanger; and underground conduits connected to supply a heating medium to the heat exchanger.

4. A liquefied gas dispensing system of the character described comprising, in combination, an insulated casing above the ground having a base resting on the ground; a pair of spaced upright liquefied gas bottles mounted in the easing; a heat exchanger in the casing having 0pposed walls conforming to and contacting with the bottles; releasable means to hold the bottles in heat exchanging contact; underground water pipes connected to the bottom of the heat exchanger through the base of said casing; and a removable cover portion constituting a part of the casing to expose the bottles to the heat of the air during warm weather and to permit them to be removed and replaced.

LOYD J. WHITE. 

